# My head lights dont work! **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [June 10, 2007, 5:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-head-lights-dont-work/438 "2007-06-10T17:11:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![impala\_62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8e8cbc/32.png) [@impala\_62](https://community.cartalk.com/u/impala_62)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 5:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-head-lights-dont-work/438/1 "2007-06-10T17:11:28Z")
i have a 1962 impala,my low beams don’t work. What could it be? ---
**Author:** ![lprocter](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/lprocter/32/40_2.png) [@lprocter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lprocter)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 5:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-head-lights-dont-work/438/2 "2007-06-10T17:44:09Z")
Bulbs burned out? Electrical short? Wire’s unplugged? Faulty switch? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 6:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-head-lights-dont-work/438/3 "2007-06-10T18:15:23Z")
Bulbs are burned out or the floor-mounted dimmer switch is shot… ---
**Author:** ![willey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a9adbd/32.png) [@willey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/willey)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 7:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-head-lights-dont-work/438/4 "2007-06-10T19:51:14Z")
Open ground circuit. ---
**Author:** ![impala\_62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8e8cbc/32.png) [@impala\_62](https://community.cartalk.com/u/impala_62)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 7:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-head-lights-dont-work/438/5 "2007-06-10T19:59:19Z")
did that already all headlight ---
**Author:** ![impala\_62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8e8cbc/32.png) [@impala\_62](https://community.cartalk.com/u/impala_62)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 8:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-head-lights-dont-work/438/6 "2007-06-10T20:01:04Z")
CHANGE THAT TOO. DO YOU THINK IT MAY BE THE SWITCH ON THE DASH BOARD??? ---
**Author:** ![impala\_62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8e8cbc/32.png) [@impala\_62](https://community.cartalk.com/u/impala_62)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 8:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-head-lights-dont-work/438/7 "2007-06-10T20:02:14Z")
HOW COULD I CHECK FOR THAT??? ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 8:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-head-lights-dont-work/438/8 "2007-06-10T20:16:08Z")
If the high-beams work, it’s not the ground or headlight switch. The dimmer switch moves the hot wire from one circuit (low beam) to the other (high beam). With a voltmeter or test light, make sure this switch is working. If it is, then the wire(s) leading to the low-beam connection on the headlights is broken. This is a simple, basic DC circuit and it can be diagnosed with a simple ice-pick type test light. You HAVE power to the high beam side of the dimmer switch, because they work. Now check the low-beam side (by clicking the switch) and move out from there. There is a “hot” terminal, a low beam and a high beam. Three connections. After 50 years, the connectors, down under the sometimes wet carpet, can get pretty nasty… ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 8:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-head-lights-dont-work/438/9 "2007-06-10T20:22:32Z")
Rather than checking just for ground, lets check for power and ground to the lamp. Get a volt meter. Remove the lamp and remove it from the socket. Connect one lead from the ground and probe the three connectors on the socket. Check once with it on bright and once when it is on headlights. You should be getting 12V on one of the three each time. If you only get it when it is on bright, then you will know which contact is the power for bright. (note: depending on you meter you may get false positive readings as well. Report back what you get. If you have a ohm or continuity measure, then turn the lights off and check each for ground One should show ground. I can’t remember if 1962 had dual headlamps? In any case do the same test on them (fewer contacts in each plug but two plugs. ---
**Author:** ![impala\_62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8e8cbc/32.png) [@impala\_62](https://community.cartalk.com/u/impala_62)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 8:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-head-lights-dont-work/438/10 "2007-06-10T20:54:23Z")
WHEN I CHANGE THE DIMMER, I LIFTED THE CARPET AND THE WIRES ON THE DIMER THEY LOOK NEW, I WOULD THINK THEY LIKE YOU SAID AFTER 50YEARS THEY WOULD LOOK OLD AND NASTY. NOT THE CASE ON THIS ONE,///IM GOING TO TRY WHAT YOU TOLD ME SEE WHAT HAPPENDS… THX ---
**Author:** ![impala\_62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8e8cbc/32.png) [@impala\_62](https://community.cartalk.com/u/impala_62)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 9:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-head-lights-dont-work/438/11 "2007-06-10T21:00:21Z")
THX BRO I GUESS U AND CANDYMAN AND ABOUT THE SAME IDEAS ILL TRY THEM SEE WHAT HAPPENDS THX. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 10:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-head-lights-dont-work/438/12 "2007-06-10T22:22:56Z")
Not so fast. I don’t have a wiring diagram for a 62 but if there is separate ground circuit for the high beams then it is possible for a open ground to be the problem. The O.P. should check the black wires going to the fender grounds to make sure they are clean and tight. It would be alot easier to start there.